Michael joins Hannah & Patia from The Knife to discuss the murder trial of Bricen Rivers. In July of 2024, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead in the trunk of her own car. Her ex-boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, is now charged with capital murder. Lauren’s father is fighting to change the system that ignored the warning signs and allowed Rivers to be released on bail. We speak about the case and how the criminal justice system failed to protect Lauren.

Episode originally aired on The Knife on November 20, 2025.

Michael joins Hannah &amp; Patia from The Knife to discuss the murder trial of Bricen Rivers. In July of 2024, 22-year-old Lauren Johansen was found dead in the trunk of her own car. Her ex-boyfriend, Bricen Rivers, is now charged with capital murder. Lauren&rsquo;s father is fighting to change the system that ignored the warning signs and allowed Rivers to be released on bail. We speak about the case and how the criminal justice system failed to protect Lauren.
Episode originally aired on The Knife on November 20, 2025.

What happens when your Uber driver gets pulled over while you're in the backseat? How do OnlyFans creators incorporate an LLC to remain anonymous? How can you fight ICE without getting off the couch? 

Welcome to Brief Recess, hosted by everyone's favorite TikTok lawyer Michael Foote and his best friend Mélissa Malebranche. Together they break down crazy news stories, share hilarious anecdotes from criminal court, answer pressing legal questions from callers, and teach listeners how to short-circuit democracy to effect real change in their communities.  

Tune in! Or we'll see you in court.

 

What happens when your Uber driver gets pulled over while you're in the backseat? How do OnlyFans creators incorporate an LLC to remain anonymous? How can you fight ICE without getting off the couch?&nbsp;
Welcome to&nbsp;Brief Recess, hosted by everyone's favorite TikTok lawyer Michael Foote and his best friend M&eacute;lissa Malebranche. Together they break down crazy news stories, share hilarious anecdotes from criminal court, answer pressing legal questions from callers, and teach listeners how to short-circuit democracy to effect real change in their communities.&nbsp;&nbsp;
Tune in! Or we'll see you in court.
&nbsp;

Brief Recess: A Legal Podcast with Michael Foote & Mélissa Malebranche

ICYMI: Michael Was on The Knife

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/22caf117-dcf0-4990-9825-b3b701578ca1/transcript

Michael and Mélissa discuss the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis, whistleblower reports on a leaked ICE memo, plastic surgery, and astronaut arrests.

Brief Recess is a new weekly legal podcast from Exactly Right Media. Follow Brief Recess wherever you get your podcasts, and watch full video episodes every Thursday on the Brief Recess YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess

Find Michael on Instagram @dept_of_redundancy_dept or TikTok @Michael_Foote_ and Mélissa on both as @MelissaMalebranche.

Got legal questions? Email briefrecess@exactlyrightmedia.com.

Links from this episode:

https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/immigration-dashboard 

https://www.peta.org/donate/ways-to-support-peta/gifts-of-property/donate-fur/ 

Michael and M&eacute;lissa discuss the Alex Pretti shooting in Minneapolis, whistleblower reports on a leaked ICE memo, plastic surgery, and astronaut arrests.
Brief Recess is a new weekly legal podcast from Exactly Right Media. Follow Brief Recess wherever you get your podcasts, and watch full video episodes every Thursday on the Brief Recess YouTube channel! <a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1763067362139000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1krNARqqc9g3qgmDxZHhvp">https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess</a>
Find Michael on Instagram <a href="https://www.instagram.com/dept_of_redundancy_dept/?hl=en">@dept_of_redundancy_dept</a> or TikTok <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@michael_foote_">@Michael_Foote_</a> and M&eacute;lissa on both as <a href="https://www.instagram.com/melissamalebranche/?hl=en">@MelissaMalebranche</a>.
Got legal questions? Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:briefrecess@exactlyrightmedia.com">briefrecess@exactlyrightmedia.com</a>.
Links from this episode:
<a href="https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/immigration-dashboard">https://oversightdemocrats.house.gov/immigration-dashboard</a>&nbsp;
<a href="https://www.peta.org/donate/ways-to-support-peta/gifts-of-property/donate-fur/" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.peta.org/donate/ways-to-support-peta/gifts-of-property/donate-fur/&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1769724369146000&amp;usg=AOvVaw3WHQlgVD7yb5olGuBbfdIB">https://www.peta.org/donate/ways-to-support-peta/gifts-of-property/donate-fur/</a>&nbsp;

Midwest Nice, Leave the ICE

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/7bc752dd-cdf2-4826-a3d5-b3e00183afa3/transcript

Michael and Mélissa discuss their weird melatonin dreams, deportation flights, Trump calling for the Insurrection Act in Minneapolis, and all the ways to prepare a Last Will and Testament.

Brief Recess is a new weekly legal podcast from Exactly Right Media. Follow Brief Recess wherever you get your podcasts, and watch full video episodes every Thursday on the Brief Recess YouTube channel! https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess

Find Michael on Instagram @dept_of_redundancy_dept or TikTok @Michael_Foote_ and Mélissa on both as @MelissaMalebranche.

Got legal questions? Email briefrecess@exactlyrightmedia.com.

Michael and M&eacute;lissa discuss their weird melatonin dreams, deportation flights, Trump calling for the Insurrection Act in Minneapolis, and all the ways to prepare a Last Will and Testament.
Brief Recess is a new weekly legal podcast from Exactly Right Media. Follow Brief Recess wherever you get your podcasts, and watch full video episodes every Thursday on the Brief Recess YouTube channel!&nbsp;<a href="https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1763067362139000&amp;usg=AOvVaw1krNARqqc9g3qgmDxZHhvp">https://www.youtube.com/@Briefrecess</a>
Find Michael on Instagram @dept_of_redundancy_dept or TikTok @Michael_Foote_ and M&eacute;lissa on both as @MelissaMalebranche.
Got legal questions? Email&nbsp;<a href="mailto:briefrecess@exactlyrightmedia.com">briefrecess@exactlyrightmedia.com</a>.

If I Murder My Family Can I Still Get My Inheritance? 

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/8246988c-23cc-4489-bb63-b3d9018ae30d/transcript

Michael and Mélissa discuss the Renee Good shooting in Minneapolis, a viral video of a delivery driver avoiding ICE, Mariah Carey, and an interview with former Ru Paul's Drag Race contestant, Yuhua Hamasaki.

Links:
acaciacenter.org
acaciacenter.org/defendkids
immigrantdefenseproject.org/know-your-rights-with-ice
piecesbar.com

@yuhuahamasaki on Instagram

Michael and M&eacute;lissa discuss the Renee Good shooting in Minneapolis, a viral video of a delivery driver avoiding ICE, Mariah Carey, and an interview with former Ru Paul's Drag Race contestant, Yuhua Hamasaki.
Links: <a href="acaciacenter.org">acaciacenter.org</a> <a href="acaciacenter.org/defendkids">acaciacenter.org/defendkids</a> <a href="immigrantdefenseproject.org/know-your-rights-with-ice">immigrantdefenseproject.org/know-your-rights-with-ice</a> <a href="piecesbar.com">piecesbar.com</a>
<a href="@yuhuahamasaki">@yuhuahamasaki</a> on Instagram

We Could All Be Renee Good (w. Yuhua Hamasaki)

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/0de2a38d-5b0f-48c9-afee-b3d201885522/transcript

ICYMI: Michael Was on The Knife

Brief Recess: A Legal Podcast with Michael Foote & Mélissa Malebranche

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Brief Recess: A Legal Podcast with Michael Foote & Mélissa Malebranche

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